A girl from my cheer squad is giving out free kittens. I fell in love with this one and just might adopt it this weekend. It is a big decision. I would love a puppy, but I would feel bad leaving it home so much. A cat is more independent, and I do love all animals. Plus, this little guy reminds me of the cat I had growing up. I think I will name him Clinton after one of the places I lived in NJ (and the cutest little place in West Jersey if you ask me).

Now THIS is what I want for Christmas. And it would help if it came with my future husband, too.

I love this blog.

http://dailycoyote.blogspot.com/

Thanksgiving was good. I decided to have my family over for a Thanksgiving breakfast on Thursday morning so I could use my fun fall plates and cloth napkins. I love hosting people and all of that good stuff so I was super excited to have them over. I made a breakfast casserole and cinnamon rolls. I also had a fruit salad. Brooke brought some banana bread and we were all very full by the end of the meal. Good thing we weren’t having Thanksgiving dinner until much later in the day!!:-) I turned on the Macy’s Day parade and told Jasmin how watching it every year was a tradition of mine. I don’t know if she was a nearly as excited about it as I was…hehehe Must be an American thing. Of course the TV was promptly changed when my dad came over to football. Jasmin couldn’t believe that we watch sporting events on a Holiday. Welcome to America my friend…

The day after Thanksgiving I decorated my house for Christmas and had lunch with my friend Amy. It was great seeing her – I hadn’t in a while. I am hoping that once my life calms down a bit that I can see her more often. That night my mom, aunt, and I went to see Enchanted. It was very cute. We were hoping to see August Rush but (stupid me) I read the newspaper wrong and took us to the wrong theater. I am hoping to see that movie. The trailer makes me cry so the flick has to be oh so good!

On Saturday and Sunday we went to San Francisco for the weekend. We showed Jasmin around and tried to do all of the touristy things. I think what we find fun she didn’t – must be a cultural thing. For example she thought the cable cars were old and slow…where I think they are totally fun! We met up with my extended family and cousin Cass and her kids (who I hadn’t seen in years) so that was nice. On Sat. night we went to see Jersey Boys. This was playing in NYC when I lived in Jersey and Hannah and I would always joke about how we wouldn’t be caught dead going to see it. But, I went and it was enjoyable. Like Mama Mia, it is definitely for the “older” generation, but it was still decent and entertaining. The weather was great in San Fran, very clear and somewhat warm, so altogether it was a GREAT trip!

Last weekend my family went camping to Pismo Beach. My parents bought a tent trailer and we were looking forward to camping with it for the first time. My dad went over on Friday and we met up with him and Ryan and Brooke (and Sulli) on Sat. Saturday we hung out and went outlet shopping. That night we went out to dinner to celebrate Brooke’s birthday. Saturday night the heater broke in the tent trailer so we ended up FREEZING through the night. Actually once I got warm in my sleeping bag I was fine. I just didn’t move…or stick my head out into the frigid air. The next morning my mom went and got cinnamon rolls and we decided to eat them at the picnic table outside because it was warmer outside then it was inside. When we were sitting outside all the ducks and pigeons from the lagoon began to make their way over to beg. Pretty soon we felt like we were in the movie “The Birds” as, I kid you not, they were swarming us begging for some cinnamon rolls. My dad was even able to hand feed some – clearly they were very tame and used to eating from campers. My dad gave up though when one pecked him too hard. The funniest part was when a pigeon landed right on Jasmin’s icing on her cinnamon roll and got stuck. We were all screaming and freaking out because at the same time they were landing on our plates and us. I swear they were dive-bombing us. We felt so country bumpkin!! I will never forget that day. If only we had that on tape. The best part of the weekend though was how much time I got to spend with my niece. She is SUCH A DOLL. I wish I could be with her 24/7!!

I am looking forward to this weekend and relaxing. I have been able to do all of my Christmas shopping (for the most part) online so there is no need to hurry to the mall for gifts. I am hoping to wrap the gifts I do have and start on my Christmas cards. I am also hoping to watch my Blockbuster movie, which has been in my living room for like a month, and simply not do anything. That will be very, very nice! I thought I had next week free until I looked on my calendar and realized I am busy every night up until Friday. This week is my last week of cheer so I thought next week would be oh so great – I could go walking when I got home and whatnot – but yeah, guess I was wrong!

I was catching up on blogs today and came across this on Courtney’s site. (She is an AWESOME girl and I love her dearly.) You should totally check it out. www.adventconspiracy.org So, thanks Court for sharing! (BTW, can I just tell you all how much I love reading your blogs? I am so thankful for your friendships and how much you teach me through your daily (or not so daily like in my postings) writings and musings!!!)

It’s supposed to rain tomorrow. I am excited. It has been weird that it is Christmas time yet I haven’t had to be bundled up or I haven’t had the chance to experience snow like the last three years. At least rain will be something like it…

Yesterday was Holli's bday - happy birthday my friend!

Kristin sent this to me today. It really spoke to me. I hope it does with you as well.

REST IN GOD'S PRESENCE

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For He will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit. -Jeremiah 17:7-8

Rest, dear one, in His presence, in His promises. God, and God alone, holds your life and well-being in His loving and kind hands.

Yes, yes, I know some of you (Hannah!) don't like it when I post pasted articles in here. But, seriously, I was totally unaware of this. Read it...and don't support The Golden Compass!

A gargantuan polar bear bounds through snow dunes. A well-coifed gentleman whispers to the snow leopard at his side. A golden-hued beauty gives her ferocious monkey a furtive glance. And a young girl traces her fingers over symbols on a device vaguely reminiscent of ... a compass.
If you've been to the movies lately (or watched much TV), these images from the Dec. 7 film The Golden Compass (starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig) may have caught your attention ... and perhaps even whetted your appetite for fantasy and adventure.

Which is, of course, exactly what New Line Cinema is hoping.

To stoke the fires of imagination further, the studio's early promotional material went so far as to equate this adaptation of author Philip Pullman's work with The Lord of the Rings. "In 2001, New Line Cinema opened the door to Middle-earth," says one trailer, "This December, they take you on another epic journey." It's a safe bet, however, that J.R.R. Tolkien wouldn't be amused by the comparison of his story to that of Pullman (who, coincidentally, also hails from Oxford).

The 1995 book The Golden Compass is the entry point to Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy—a series of fantasy novels aimed at children that loosely draws inspiration from John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost. This time around, however, "God" gets overthrown and the "Fall" becomes the source of humankind's redemption, not failure.

These three books, along with at least one (and presumably two more) movies, constitute British agnostic Philip Pullman's deliberate attempt to foist his viciously anti-God beliefs upon his audience.

A Different Kind of WardrobeThe Golden Compass begins with a precocious 12-year-old girl named Lyra clambering into a wardrobe to avoid detection ... a choice that unwittingly launches her into a universe-altering adventure. (Sound familiar?) Lurking in the wardrobe, she hears her uncle, an iconoclastic explorer named Lord Asriel, describe a mysterious substance called Dust to a group of scholars.

Several events then occur almost simultaneously: Lyra is given a truth-telling device called an alethiometer (the golden compass) and told to keep it secret; she begins to hear rumors of children disappearing without a trace; and she's whisked into the care of a glamorous but ruthless agent of the church named Mrs. Coulter. Lyra soon discovers that the church is also desperate to learn about Dust—a substance they believe is somehow connected to original sin—and that Mrs. Coulter is spearheading chilling experiments on children in her pursuit of "truth." Specifically, she's separating children from their dæmons (pronounced demon), animal spirits that physically embody each person's soul and accompany them throughout life.

As The Golden Compass draws to a close, the forces of good (represented by the church-rejecting Lord Asriel) have begun to array themselves against the forces of tyranny and wickedness (represented by Mrs. Coulter and churchmen who blend the worst of, say, the Spanish Inquisition and Adolf Hiter's dreaded SS). The battle will span not only Lyra's world, but many other alternate worlds. In Vol. 2, The Subtle Knife, Lyra meets 12-year-old Will, who comes into possession of a potent blade with the power to slice portals between those worlds. The Amber Spyglass concludes the series, with angels, armored bears, witches, a shaman, a lapsed nun-turned-physicist and other fantastical creatures marshalling their resources against the hated Authority—the "god" whose reign they can tolerate no longer—even as the mystery of Dust is finally resolved.

The Anti-LewisThere are no shortage of parallels between His Dark Materials and C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. Lyra instead of Lucy. A wardrobe. Alternate worlds. Talking animals. Cosmic consequences linked to a final battle. Oh, and witches—this time on the side of so-called good rather than evil.

But beyond those superficial similarities, Pullman represents the polar opposite of Lewis. Pullman has repeatedly—and with apparent glee—lashed out at both Lewis and the faith he represents. "I hate the Narnia books, and I hate them with a deep and bitter passion," he told one interviewer, "with their view of childhood as a golden age from which sexuality and adulthood are a falling-away."

Such venom isn't the exception when it comes to Pullman's stance on all things Christian. He told the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph, "Atheism suggests a degree of certainty that I'm not quite willing to accede. I suppose technically, you'd have to put me down as an agnostic. But if there is a God, and he is as the Christians describe him, then he deserves to be put down and rebelled against. As you look back over the history of the Christian church, it's a record of terrible infamy and cruelty and persecution and tyranny. How they have the bloody nerve to go on Thought for the Day and tell us all to be good when, given the slightest chance, they'd be hanging the rest of us and flogging the homosexuals and persecuting the witches."

Given such ferocious antipathy for Christianity, it's only a matter of time before those beliefs sneak into heavy-handed sermonettes, delivered by the story's protagonists, such as this one from a witch: "There are churches there, believe me, that cut their children too, as the people of Bolvangar did—not in the same way, but just as horribly. They cut their sexual organs, yes, both boys and girls; they cut them with knives so that they shan't feel. That is what the church does, and every church is the same: control, destroy, obliterate every good feeling." Without exception, Pullman characterizes churches and anyone connected to them as agents of wickedness, oppression, torture, murder and malevolence.

A Tale of Two InsightsStill, Pullman wants his readers to believe he's more interested in telling a good story (and his is engaging at points) than delivering a particular message. On his personal Web site, he writes, "The meaning of a story emerges in the meeting between the words on the page and thoughts in the reader's mind. So when people ask me what I meant by this story, or what was the message I was trying to convey in that one, I have to explain that I'm not going to explain. Anyway, I'm not in the message business; I'm in the 'Once upon a time' business."

Don't believe him.

Not the least because Pullman contradicts himself when he talks about his understanding of how stories naturally influence people's beliefs. "All stories teach," he's said, "whether the storyteller intends them to or not. They teach the world we create. They teach the morality we live by. They teach it much more effectively than moral precepts and instructions. ... We don't need lists of rights and wrongs, tables of do's and don'ts: We need books, time and silence. 'Thou shalt not' is soon forgotten."

That is a more honest and insightful statement than the first one.

Therefore, it's a fair question for those curious about this story to ask what it is teaching. At the most basic level, His Dark Materials is an attempted refutation of the Christian faith: "The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all," says an influential character named Mary Malone, who then goes on to relate her own "testimony" of why she abandoned her calling as a nun.

Other messages woven into this story exalt witchcraft, evolution, divination, homosexuality and premarital sex. Accompanying them are smoking, drinking, occasional mild profanity and moments of visceral violence.

That Pullman's message is blasphemous and heretical goes without saying. What's more diabolical—a word carrying with it an original Greek meaning that literally means to separate into two pieces—is the fact that he's aimed his well-written tale and its messages directly at children. "I wanted to reach everyone," he says, "and the best way I could hope to do that was to write for children." Pullman's strategy for inculcating his beliefs involves planting these bad seeds in the minds of those who may not have the discernment to understand what he's doing.
Beliefnet's Rod Dreher writes that that's exactly why he intends to protect his children from Pullman's poisonous influence. "One expects that religious parents will keep their children away from the [Golden Compass] film. 'But why?' the question arises from liberals. 'What are you afraid of?' My children losing God, especially before they have a firm hold on Him, that's what. At some point they will question the existence of God. I did. It's normal to do so. I want more than anything else I want for my children, even their own happiness in this life, for them to believe in God, who is their salvation. If you believe in God, and that the loss of God is the worst thing that can happen to a person, then you would sooner give your child a rattlesnake to play with than expose him or her at an early age to the work of a man who openly says he wishes to destroy God in the minds of his audience."

Trying to Kill GodPullman has said unambiguously, "My books are about killing God." But despite a great deal of publicity on this subject, the series never addresses the issue of God's existence with any real certainty. There is a character who masquerades as God, known as the Authority. But we discover he was simply the first being to evolve—and there's definitely a heavy emphasis on evolution in this story—out of Dust into conscious existence.
As to whether or not a real Creator is responsible for everything, however, another character says simply, "There may have been a creator, or there may not: We don't know." Ultimately, then, the story remains agnostic about God's existence. And with regard to death and the afterlife, Pullman first imagines a dark underworld where all the dead go, regardless of their actions or beliefs. The dead are then released by Lyra, and their molecules are dispersed throughout the world.

Pullman tries desperately to convince us that this vision of annihilation after death is a hopeful one. One of the dead contemplating this fate says, "This child has come offering us a way out, and I'm going to follow her. Even if it means oblivion, friends, I'll welcome it, because it won't be nothing. We'll be alive again in thousands of blades of grass and a million leaves; we'll be falling in the raindrops and blowing in the fresh breeze; we'll be glittering in the dew under the stars and the moon out there in the physical world, which is our true home and always was."

If that doesn't sound much like happily ever after, that's because, well, it isn't. In the final analysis, Pullman has nothing of substance to offer when it comes to concocting an alternative to the Christian faith he detests so venomously. Which is why, perhaps, flowery-but-empty passages and promises like the one above seem to echo those of a well-known serpent.
And lest that comparison sound too harsh, the author himself seems quite comfortable with the association. "[English poet William] Blake said that Milton was a true poet and of the Devil's party without knowing it," Pullman has said. "I am of the Devil's party and know it."

Here is another one of "my" girls!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=009guFEmftU

Today is my six month WC-versary. Wow. SIX MONTHS. WOOOOOW.

I had a great weekend. I was blessed to be able to go and spend time with Hannah in Tacoma. It was wonderful and I really, really needed it! I have found that with my crazy life here that I have had to remove myself from the area in order to truly rest and recover. We had so much fun watching movies (Fred Claus - very cute), getting a pedicure, going out to eat, going and seeing Rob Bell (who was new to me), sleeping in, shopping, etc. She is a dear friend and it was great spending time with her. Next time I travel up there I will take Jasmin.

Speaking of Jasmin, the honeymoon is definitely over! I need to be sensitive of her and can't write anything since this is somewhat public - but if you want details let me know.:-)

Cheer has been very, very hard. Last night I had to dismiss a girl from the squad. Even after she had PLENTY of warning, I was literally sick over it and felt like I was breaking up with a boyfriend or something. I did not want to do it but knew it was the right and fair thing to do. Anyway, I am glad it is over but I am praying that she will be able to continue on in her life OK (not that cheer is everything but I don't want her to think that I didn't 'want' her) and that she will be able to make better decisions in all areas. Other then that the girls are tired (as am I) and we are all ready to be done for a while. The good thing is that basketball doesn't really start until after the new year. The bad thing is that we are going to playoffs for football and who knows when that will end.

Here is an updated pic of my niece:

I saw her at lunch. She is the cutest ever. She tells me "hi" and gives me a big smile when I see her. Today I heard her say "no" for the first time and I had to force myself to keep from laughing. She is so darn smart too. Such a delight!

I read this online this morning. It can be found on Time.com. It is very interesting...to say the least. Thoughts?

By DAVID VAN BIEMA Tue Nov 6, 12:30 AM ET

On questions relating to the Bible's treatment of family and morals, one might expect assurance, if not rigidity, from Evangelical Christianity. So, it may surprise many to learn how "live" the topic of divorce remains in Evangelical circles. Last month, the cover story of the monthly Christianity Today was titled "When to Separate What God has Joined: A Closer Reading on the Bible on Divorce." The heated controversy provoked by the story showed how Biblically flexible some Evangelicals can be - especially when God's word seems at odds not just with modern American behavior, but also with simple human kindness.

As the article's author, the British Evangelical scholar David Instone-Brewer, points out, for most of 2,000 years Christians have viewed divorce through two scriptural citations. In Matthew, the pharisees ask Christ, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?" Jesus refers to the Old Testament and then replies, "Whoever divorces a wife, except for sexual indecency, commits adultery." The apostle Paul adds in the book First Corinthians that a Christian is "not bound" to a non-Christian spouse who abandons him. Simple, right?

Instone-Brewer radically reinterprets the first passage using, of all things, quotation marks. The Greek of the New Testament didn't always contain them, and scholars agree that sometimes they must be added in to make sense of it. Instone-Brewer, an expert in Jewish thought during Jesus's era, writes that Christ's interlocutors were not asking him whether there was any cause at all for divorce, but whether he supported something called "any-cause" divorce, a term a little bit like "no-fault" that allowed husbands to divorce wives for any reason at all. Instone-Brewer claims Jesus's "no" was a response to this idea, and that his "except for sexual indecency" condition was not a statement of the sole exemption from God's blanket prohibition, but merely Christ's reiteration of one of several divorce permissions in the Old Testament - one he felt the "any-time" advocates had exaggerated. Finally, Instone-Brewer tallies four grounds for divorce he finds affirmed in both Old and New Testaments: adultery, emotional and sexual neglect, abandonment (by anyone) and abuse.

Christianity Today has written previously on divorce, often bemoaning how easy it is in today's America. However, the Instone-Brewer essay appeared to be its editors' attempt to offer Evangelicals an escape from a classic dilemma. The "plain sense" of Jesus's words without quotes seems clear enough, but also inhumane: how could a loving God forbid divorce, even by omission, in cases of wife-beating, or of abandonment by a Christian spouse?
Each branch of Christianity deals with divorce in its own way: Catholicism bans it entirely, but many divorced and remarried couples nonetheless find that their conscience permits them to take Communion. Liberal Protestantism accepted divorce some decades ago without much engagement of the scriptural issue. Evangelicals define themselves as being tightly bound by scripture. But besides the humanitarian problem, there are some uncomfortable facts on the ground: The divorce rate among Evangelicals, which first became news after polls released by the Barna Research Group in 2001, has been as high or higher than the national average.

The Evangelical movement has actually made tremendous accommodations given the strictures it lives under. Ministries for the newly divorced are common at megachurches; and on the historically less-rigid Pentecostal side of the spectrum, celebrity preachers Juanita Bynum and Paula White both recently announced their intention to divorce. Most experts interviewed for this story attested that whereas 30 years ago, a pastor might well order a battered woman home to return her husband, that is rare today.

More conservative Evangelicals remain uneasy about divorce. If a split itself is inescapable, notes Christianity Today editor Andy Crouch, "remarriage is where the rubber meets the road," and many remarried couples find themselves denied church membership. Says Russel Moore, dean of the 16.3 million-member Southern Baptist Convention's influential Southern Seminary, "We teach our future pastors that marriage is a lifelong, one-flesh union." Any woman in an abusive marriage should "leave that situation," he acknowledges, and a "majority" probably accept remarriage. Asked if he does, Moore demurred: "Let me think about that for a little bit. I could answer in a way that would be very easily misunderstood."

Evangelical conflict on the topic was obvious in reader response to the Instone Brewer essay. Initially the mail was heavily negative. The most stinging broadside sas a column by John Piper, a respected theological conservative, that called the essay not just weak but "tragic." The magazine's editor in chief, David Neff, felt the need to explain online that "Instone-Brewer's article did not... give people carte blanche on divorce." The mail eventually leveled off at 60% negative to 40% positive.

Still, the controversy suggests that even the country's most rule-bound Christians will search for a fresh understanding of scripture when it seems unjust to them. The implications? Flexibility on divorce may mean that evangelicals could also rethink their position on such things as gay marriage, as a generation of Christians far more accepting of homosexuality begins to move into power. (The ever-active Barna folks have found that 57% of "born-again" Christians age 16-29 criticize their own church for being "anti-homosexual.") It could also give heart to a certain twice-divorced former New York mayor who is running for President and seeking the conservative vote. But that may be pushing things a bit.

Yum, lunchtime. But what to do for lunch today? As I decided I thought I would take a moment to say "hi" to all of you out there in blog world. I hope that you are enjoying your lunch break at this very moment!

Not much to update you on. Things are pretty much the same in my world. I have been painting my house little by little. It is more tedious then anything. I am really excited to see the finished product. My favorite of course is my red kitchen.:-)

This weekend I am going to the Bulldog game with my dad. He has season tickets but my brother always gets the other ticket. He couldn't go this weekend so I got to snag it. It is my first game in four years so I am super excited about going.

Thanksgiving is only three weeks from today. Isn't that so bizarre?

I have been battling many self esteem attacks lately. Instead of giving details, which this isn't exactly the proper forum for that, I can sum it up by just saying that I am feeling rather "unlovely." I have noticed that this is a constant current in my life that just acts up every once in a while. It just seems to be that time again. No fun, but it will subside.

I am going to a work conference in San Francisco on Tuesday and come home on Thursday. On Friday I leave for Tacoma to visit one of my besties, Hannah, and spend the holiday weekend with her. I'm super excited! I really, really need a vacation and this will be a great trip I'm sure.

Sullivan was a lion for Halloween. If you ask her what a lion says she will quickly tell you, "Rawr!" She is pretty much the cutest kid in the world.;-) Can't wait to have some of my own...hopefully sooner rather then later.

OK, I think I am going to go to Subway! Mmmmm...:-) Happy November!

It’s Monday morning! Oh how I HATE Mondays! How I LOVE weekends… lol

Jasmine has fit in really well with my family, in my household, and into American life. She is a good girl and is really, really, enjoying her time here. She is a very pretty girl and is teeny-tiny! A double zero! Must be rough. ;-) It has been a lot of fun to have her around, although I do admit that being an instant mom to a 17-year-old can be daunting at times. Tomorrow she will have been here for four weeks. Here are some funny, and poignant Jasmine-isms:

“You are going to a baby shower? Is that the baptism?”
“You eat chips with sandwiches? WEIRD!”
“I have never had peanut butter and chocolate together before.”
“People actually buy ice here? Why?”
“Everything is so big here! The streets are so wide, there are trucks everywhere, and everyone has big cars!”
“How do you pray?”
“People in America are all about drama!”
“What is root beer?”

VTR and cheer are continuing to keep me busy. KHS will go to playoffs so who knows how long football season will last. I am looking forward to basketball. It will be nice to watch a different sport and help the girls prepare for something different. I have enjoyed my job as a social worker and think that this is something I could do long term. It gets me out of the office and I like helping kids. It has been a good job so far and surprisingly fairly low stress.

I am painting the inside of my house, which I have really been looking forward to. I just got all of the dark wood painted and now I am going to paint each room one at a time as time allows. My goal is to be done by the holidays so my house will be all ready for all the different gatherings and celebrations. Yay!

I saw the movie “Elizabeth” over the weekend. It was decent and the costumes were beautiful. It must be so fun for those people to work on sets like those! I am looking forward to the holiday movies, which will be coming out soon. This is my favorite time of year for that and so many more reasons!

This goes without saying but I miss the East Coast. I have decided that if Kristin stays in D.C. for another year (past this summer) that I will be moving out to her area as soon as mid June. She is already aware of this and hopefully does not fill any pressure about staying if God leads her otherwise. If she does move then I will have to decide if I want to go anyway. Of course Kristin wouldn’t be the ONLY reason I would move but she would def be a big part of it as those of you who have made big moves before know, having a ready made friend (and she is one of my besties!) makes a world of difference. I want God’s will for her so of course if He leads her elsewhere I want her to go…and yet God still might want me to go there w/o her. So we’ll see…but I just thought I would share that with you as it looks like another big adventure is in store for me. My parents are aware of this and think it is the most ridiculous decision I can make, and as my mom says I am too old to do this again, but we have agreed to disagree. I know God brought me back here to CA. But what I don’t know is for how long. I still feel like the EC is my home and if I go out to D.C. even if for only a year at least when I lie on my deathbed I will feel like I tried, that I pursued all, or the majority, of my dreams. Kingsburg will always be here and I can always come back to it… That’s my thinking anyway.:-)

Gotta get back to work! Blessings to you today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY-FLauvL2Q

No, I didn't post this, or take this video, but nonetheless I am a proud cheer coach. If you are close you should come by and see us in action!

Well it looks like I am going to be a mom…to a German 17-year-old for nine months. Crazy, huh? Here’s how it came to be:

This summer as I read our weekly local newspaper each week I noticed that there was continual advertising for host families for foreign exchange students. It looked like they were pretty desperate, as there seemed to be no families stepping up to take these kids in. I thought about it and thought that it would be fun, but ultimately decided against it because I wanted my freedom and figured that these kids are coming over to live with families and that they wouldn’t want to come over and live with just me. So I brushed the idea off and that was that.

Then a couple of weeks ago I went over to my parents house for dinner and my mom showed me an article in the Kingsburg Recorder about Tammy. Tammy is a German girl who was placed with a family here but due to medical issues (of the family) she couldn’t stay there anymore. If another family didn’t step up to take her then she would have to move to a different school. I felt so bad for Tammy. I couldn’t imagine having to move to a different country and experience that cultural shock (even though she signed up for it) and then barely get used to the high school and then be pulled to another city and high school. So, I thought that this was God tapping me on the shoulder. I called the rep and told her my situation (single, very busy, never home, etc) but that if nobody else took her that I would. Well, another family did take her. So again I thought that that was that. I felt better with myself because at least I tried.

Soon after that I got a call from the rep again. She told me about Jasmin. Jasmin signed up to come over for the year but since nobody else wanted a student she has been sitting home waiting ever since. She watched all her friends in the program leave. Her visa is about to expire and this is pretty much her last chance to come over and do this. The rep asked me if I would be willing to look at her profile and consider taking Jasmin. I said I would and when I read about her I knew she would be a good fit. She is interested in cheerleading. She loves to do “girly” stuff. She is interested in going to church and youth group, etc. I called the rep and said I would take her but only if she went to KHS - as I live right by the school. (There had been some talk of Jasmin going to Fowler or Selma as KHS only wanted Tammy.) I prayed about it and basically figured that if I were meant to take her that KHS would let Jasmin in. Long story short they did…and Jasmin (to my complete surprise) is coming on Tuesday. This is all happening so fast!

Jasmin has written me a couple of times and seems to be really excited about coming here for the school year. She has never been to the States and wants the whole experience. I hope that you all will get to meet her and know her. Overall I am glad about this experience. It will teach me to be more selfless and help me to know more of what it is like to be a mother.

That is my big news of the week, other then seeing one of my BFF’s Kristin! I am so glad that she is in town – even if it is for a short bit. I miss her sooooo much!! We hadn’t seen each other for four months. That is the longest we had gone in three years. Sad!!

Anyway, I am off to clean my house. I am hoping to catch up on all of your blogs soon. Happy Sunday!

Hi All,

I am writing this from work. Sometimes we have super busy days. Sometimes we have super slow days. Today is definitely one of the slower days… But – it gives me time to write in my blog, right?:-)

My birthday was last Thursday and quite honestly it felt like any other day. I worked from 8-8:30 (as usual…see my last blog entry) and came home and did some things around my house and went to sleep by 10:30. Exciting. But, my family did have a nice dinner for me on Saturday. I got to choose the dinner and I selected chipotle tri-tip, rice pilaf, sourdough bread, corn, and salad. My grandma also made the best lemon dessert ever. It was a great time. For my birthday my parents (and I am chipping in too) are having all the dark wood in my house painted. I cannot wait to get that done!

I am doing well. Right now I am either sick or my allergies are acting up…I really can’t tell. It’s annoying but I can live with it. Last night was our first YL club and it was interesting. It was really difficult for me to not know any kids and I began to miss the YLWJ kids like crazy. I also ran YLWJ much differently then Kingsburg YL runs theirs (which doesn’t mean it was better or worse) so I have to readjust what YL club means to me. But, with time I will feel more and more comfortable. Overall I am happy to help because I know they (and the kids) really need it.

Sulli began walking this week. It’s fun to watch…!

I looked at my calendar and blocked out some dates when I will be visiting friends in Washington State and Northern VA. Now I just need to ask for the time off… I am really looking forward to jumping on a plane and going somewhere. These last four months have been the longest time in like three years when I haven’t been flying or extensively traveling somewhere. It’s so weird!

The weather is nice and cool(er) today. Yay!

Guess that’s all for now. All in all nothing really exciting going on here. I am going camping next weekend. That’s fun! And the cheerleaders are continually keeping me on my toes which is fun as well (most of the time.) :-) Come to our game tomorrow - we are performing!

Have a great day! I am going to get back to work…

Good Sunday morning! I have a few minutes before I need to start getting ready for church so hopefully I can update you on my life in the time allotted. I hope that you all are doing well!

First of all I want to mention how much I love reading your blogs – even if I only catch up on them about once or month (or more!) or so. I read all of your posts and leave a comment on every one so you know I was there. I’m sure that all of you have noticed this with me and I wanted to thank you for being patient. I love each of my friends so much and of course want to know everything about his or her life so I encourage you to keep up the good work so I can be nosey and know all about you.:-)

This reminds me – Alisha – I can’t leave comments on your blog???

Some of you have asked about work. It is going well but I still feel like I am a bit, or a lot, over my head. I have so much to learn about the foster family system, state laws, etc. Once I learn everything I do think that the job will be a good fit and that I will really like it. In the meantime I am just trying to not to screw it up. I get to get out of the office when I go do court, home, or supervised visits so that is nice and helps to break up the day. The staff seems really nice and I enjoy the office atmosphere a lot. I also love the mission of Valley Teen Ranch so I am very excited about working with such a wonderful organization. Overall I know this job will teach me a lot and even though the pay leaves much to be desired I feel very blessed and grateful for the position.

Now that I have a full-time job my life is very, very busy. Here is my schedule:

Monday work 8-5 coach cheer 6:30-8:30
Tuesday work 8-5 coach cheer 6:30-8:30
Wednesday work 8-5 young life 6:30-9:00
Thursday work 8-5 coach cheer 6:30-8:30
Friday work 8-5 coach cheer 6-9:30 (at games)

I am busy, busy, busy. I have only been at this schedule for a week but so far so good. We shall see how I feel about it in two months.;-) That being said I want to try really hard to have relaxing and fun weekends where I have as much time with friends and family as possible. I am hoping to go to Washington State over Veteran’s Day and go back East this fall as well. I will have to do it over the weekend (a long weekend) but that is better then nothing so I am ok with it.

I have been really aching for “home” (the East Coast still feels like home to me) lately. I have told myself I can’t make plans to move back until I have been here in CA for a year because I still need to be open to staying here if that’s what God wants me to do. If I could choose right now though I would move back – and move in with Kristin. Does that mean I regret moving here? No, not at all. I know for sure that God wanted me to move home. I am still committed to being obedient which is why I am here. I am just home-sick. I can’t really mention missing the EC because my parents get irritated with me and nobody else seems to understand or quite get it. Therefore I hardly talk about my life there anymore. I am still young and able to move which is why I am really considering moving back this summer. I don’t want years to go by and regret not taking this chance again. But of course we shall see what God says about it this next summer.

My birthday is on Thursday. Wow, 29. My last birthday/age ever! Hehehe I truly cannot believe I am getting this old. I’m sure I will blog on this as it begins to sink in later on this week…

Gotta run – my time is up! Enjoy your holiday weekend! I know I am!

I got a job and start tomorrow! Yay! I will be a social worker for the foster family agency division of Valley Teen Ranch. I am really excited - and nervous too.;-) I will let you know how it goes.

Holli was here for a little over a week. Here is what we did in her words:

california was a blast. i had so much fun and got to see and do some pretty cool things. the best part about it was getting to see ashley. i miss her when i don't get to see her that often. i was able to do everything i had wanted and so much more and am blessed to have been able to go. here is a brief recap of the events:

San Fran: Fisherman's wharf, pier 39, west coast clam chowder in a famous sourdough bread bowl and ghirardelli's ice cream. I also got to go to my first Oakland a's game and ride the bart around town. Ashley and I also went to the movies to see becoming jane and it sucked. So if you were thinking about seeing it, don't do it.

Sausalito: got to see a lot of crabs, had an awesome raspberry mocha (like you really care), and went to an awesome store where i was able to purchase a plethora of things.

Monterey: got to go to cannery lane to all of the shops, buy a smores apple that i did not eat, and have a steak and lobster dinner. I also got to go swimming in the pacific with sea otters which was pretty cool…absolutely freezing…but nonetheless pretty cool.

Fresno/Kingsburg: got to hang out with ashley's family and meet her little niece, go to the raisin capitol of the world, eat at in-and-out, go swimming when it was like 105 degrees out, eat at a really good Mexican restaurant, and get my picture taken with a Swedish horse and Viking.

Yosemite: had a blast camping out with ashley. we got to see two bears and a lot of other random wildlife. The views were incredible and it is seriously one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I also got to climb rocks and hike to the bottom of the only waterfall in the park that wasn't dried out.

LA: got a pretty sweet VIP tour of Warner Brothers studios from ashley's cousin who is a VP there. She took us around on a golf cart and showed us the sets of three and a half men, cold case, and ER. It was cool to see how all of that was done. I also got to see the Hollywood sign, the Chinese theatre, and went shopping on Melrose.

Pasadena: got to stay with ashley's really cool aunt and went to the cheescake factory for the first time. I got to see where the rose bowl parade takes place and hang out in old town.

Anyway, I got to do a lot of great things and am very thankful that I was able to go.

I will try to post some pics soon. Fall is right around the corner. Crazy!

My friend Jocelyn wrote this in her blog today and I loved it so much I have to repost it here. Jocelyn is one of the most amazing people I know. She continues to teach me a lot even if we live across the country from each other. Here is an excerpt:

in my mind, males can be classified under 3 main categories: boys, guys and men. i will explain how i view each as best as i know how...

boys: these are males who think life is a game. or at least they live to play... most, if not all day. they splurge their monies (if they make any) on the latest toys and gadgets, trendy clothes, entertainment, food, drinks. they are often unruly and undisciplined with no consideration or regard for others, only themselves. you wonder if and when these individuals will ever grow up...and sadly, some never do. they tend to look for strong girls who can step in as a mother figure and take charge of their share of responsibility, keep their clothes clean, make their meals, etc. frankly, i find they are the reason why femnazis exist because though they're fun to pal around with, they make poor husbands and fathers. period. woe to the girl who fools around this this male and finds herself impregnated and alone.

guys: this second category is where I notice the vast majority of males past their teens fall into. Guys are good because they have matured to the point that they can and are willing to be considerate for women. But if you are a discerning girl you find that their motives are not selfless at all; guys have an agenda. That agenda might be conquering you. I have met loads of nice guys, however, they want to impress me so that I will somehow want them and therefore flatter them in return. Guys I meet are interested in girls primarily for their looks and how the girl will in turn make them look/feel. They are rather image-oriented. And thus, time tells all when you begin to realize the guy cares more about the image of having a girl that meets his perceived needs than he cares about you specifically. Guys like to date/ flirt with as many girls as possible, hoping they'll get a "catch". One a guy bags you (sexually or your attention) he tends to cool off simply because he's won. you were just a game for him and you gave in. Often guys want trophy wives... simply meaning that you provide some asset that makes him think he's better off (good looks, money, contacts, etc.). My dealings with guys have left me feeling devalued, used and manipulated. They can wear you down because what they offer initially has the appearance of genuine love/care/concern, but their words and actions can be shallow.

men: True men are modern day Boaz figures (check out the story of Ruth). They aren't flashy trying to get attention, they simply command notice by the fact that they are respectable people. Men are selfless, willing to put their life and concerns down for promoting the well-being of women that they wish to protect and provide for. Instead of simply asking women for help and walking away, they help regardless of what the woman looks like or whether she has consented because they live to meet other's needs. A true man is God-fearing, he sees and treats all women with equal concern and compassion. He is not "out to get a wife" because He knows his God will provide for his needs. A true man therefore rests assured in who he is and can simply live to his full potential uninhibited by the need to flaunt himself. He knows that charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting and he admires, respects and values women with character and holiness. You can trust a man's words because he means what he says in that he actively demonstrates his character to be true by how he treats you. A man refuses to play with womens' hearts or emotions for his own gain. Rather, he stands as their guardian and protector demonstrating true love and concern. Men leave a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of women because they stir true longings for a deeper love... a love which God Himself gives. A man will mirror Christ's love and all women commend him in his ways.

now, i am not foolish enough to insist that i can neatly fit every male into these three categories, but i will concede that in my life on occasion i have come across some of the most stellar men. their names are still on my heart to this day because of the impression they left on my life, as my dear loving brothers, i would want a husband that mirrored their own hearts. men are few and far between and people give me flak that i'm "too picky" or i "just need to settle". now i understand that many girls do cheapen themselves or make their priority their appearance rather than character because "that's what guys want". and i have to agree. that IS what GUYS want.

But I don't want to settle for a boy. Not even a guy. I want a man of God. I know it seems next to impossible, but with God ALL things ARE possible...if you just BELIEVE. And, honestly, if a man does not come for me that is ok because I am living not to get married, but I am giving my all for Jesus Christ. Giving your life over to God is a dangerous, adventurous thing because you plan to expect the unexpected. The Lord has been faithful and will be faithful to continue dealing with my heart and emotions.

...but when my day does come, I earnestly hope to be like the woman of character in Song of Solomon who was praised by the daughters of Jerusalem for her virtue as well as that of her husband. that would be my most precious wedding gift indeed... that God would be glorified by my earthly union. amen!

A little while ago I received a phone call that my great Aunt Fran passed away. Since Easter my family has lost my grandfather, my great uncle, and my great aunt - all semi-unexpectedly. It is weird to see the older generation of the family pass away. My parents and aunts and uncles are quickly becoming the matriarchs and patriarchs. It is a reminder that life moves quickly and is precious...

This is a forward I received. It is cheesy but I admit it did make me chuckle. A little Christian humor This is one of the best clean jokes I've seen in awhile! Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering. Finally fed up, God said, "THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job." So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away. They moused. They faxed. They e-mailed. They e-mailed with attachments. They downloaded. They did spreadsheets! They wrote reports. They created labels and cards. They created charts and graphs. They did some genealogy reports They did every job known to man. Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell. Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off. Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld. Jesus just sighed. Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming: "It's gone! It's all GONE! "I lost everything when the power went out!" Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work. Satan observed this and became irate. "Wait!" he screamed. "That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?" God just shrugged and said, "JESUS SAVES"

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I missed you on Monday and Tuesday. I was away at Cheer Camp. (Really!) It was a 48-hour cheer camp with a slumber party in between. I hope that the girls got a lot out of it and had a great time. I thought it was time well spent - for the most part. :-)

I am back and plan on spending today job hunting and running some errands. I hope that you have a great day as well!

<3, a.

Holli booked her tickets to come out and see me in just a couple of weeks! I am so excited.

When are you going to come and see me???

:-)

Wow...

This makes me tired just reading it!

www.duggarfamily.com

I was going through my old emails and found this. I think it is a great idea so I am passing it along...:-)


Hey, everyone!

I wanted to send a reminder to y’all about my friend’s website where you can go buy a care package for a soldier. Last time I emailed y’all, you had to go to ebay and search for the packages. Now he has his own website at istillcarepackages.com!! You can go to that website, make your purchase, and write a thank you note to the lucky soldier who gets your care package.

As I mentioned before, my friend is a Marine Reservist who spent a year in Iraq in 2004-2005 and definitely knows the effect that care packages have on overall morale over there. He makes no money from this – he just uses the money you provide to assemble and ship the packages you purchase. It is a labor of love and I’m proud of him for doing it.

Today is Aug 1. Can you believe it? Wow. In some ways this summer has flown by and in others it has dragged by. ..

I still don't have a job. I have stopped posting about it because it became too hard having to say what I was applying for and then reporting that I did not get it. So please don't feel out of the loop. When I do land a job I will let you know.:-)

I am tired and need sleep. Night all!

Blast from the past.

This is Amy and I at church camp in the 7th grade. So fun-nay!!!

I bought a mattress/box spring/and frame today. Now I just need to paint the headboard and then my spare room will be all finished. Who will come visit me?:-)

Quote of the day from my good friend Jerelyn, in summing up how cute the movie was that we saw tonight:

"You should have no reservations about seeing 'No Reservations!'"

It was definitely a chick flick and oh so good. Go out and see it with your best girl friends!

You know you live in a small town when you have this conversation with the clerk(unknown to me) at Longs...

"You are Ashley right?"

"Yes."

"Ashley Phelan?"

"Yes."

"And you go to the EV Free church right?"

"Yes, when I was much younger."

"Thought so."

This is Kingsburg, friends. Welcome to the twighlight zone. hehehe

I am soooo tired right now. I haven't been sleeping very soundly the past few nights and it is beginning to catch up with me. After this post I am going to bed.

What are some tricks that you have in order to ensure a good night's rest? I am willing to hear and try out lots of advice!

I chopped my hair off today. I have been wanting to donate to Locks of Love for a while now but every time I got close to doing it I got really nervous. I wasn't nervous about giving my hair to a wonderful organization but nervous about parting with my hair that took three years to grow out. My hair grows sooooo slowly and I LOVE having long hair. But, I told myself I just needed to do it. My hair will grow back and if I am that attached to my hair then I need to get rid of it. So I did. It is about to my chin. I am OK with it - it will just take some time getting used to I think. I'll try to post a pic soon...:-)

Night all!

So I hear that KHS c/o 96 is finally having their reunion. It will be on Sept 29 at the gun club. I haven't decided if I will be attending or not. Hmmmm. Thoughts?? Anyone want to be my hottt date?

Awwwww....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVcH4oqrgsk&mode=related&search=

I am way too tired to post but I did want to blog a bit about today to get my daily writing in...

The highlight of my day was Jerelyn's bday party. We went to Red Robin, did a bit of shopping, and went to her apt. in Selma where we enjoyed funfetti cupcakes like we were five all over again. It was great. She is the big 3-0 now. Happy birthday friend!

Now it is time for some sweet sleep...

Eleven months...

See my cute dimple?

When I grow up Auntie is going to teach me to play her piano.

I love my baby doll.

Auntie lets me borrow her sunglasses.

These pics were taken by a wonderful photographer and friend of mine, Amy. She is available to help you with any of your photography needs!

Why I love Holli...

Hard worker.
Open arms to anyone.
Loverrrrr
Loyal
Indiana accent

Very funny (I miss laughing with her!)
Actually ate and appreciated my cooking.
Nicknames (SFJ, GST)
Excellent YL leader
Threw a surprise party for me and it was sooooo fun!
Took me to hockey games! Oooooh yeah!
Excellent counselor
Nice AND beautiful

On Monday it will be two months since I saw her...

Want to know why I love you? Leave me a comment and let me know!

good things about today...

• playing with my niece
• olive garden
• finding a cute shirt for $8
• american idol concert

not so good things about today...

• still no call from samaritan women
• missing the east coast
• frustrations with life, myself
• getting rear ended (yet again) on the way to the concert
  

One of the great things about moving home is being able to be so close to my niece. This past week has been especially nice in that I have been able to spend lots of time with her. Today I had her all morning and it was wonderful. We went to the park. We played on my piano (I will give her lessons one day). We had a lot of fun.

She will be one next month. I am looking forward to her party. It is going to be a puppy theme. She definitely takes after her auntie (and papa) that she loves dogs! It is nice to know that I will be here for such a milestone. She is growing soooo quickly. She is just about ready to walk, her teeth are coming in, she just learned to dance, and she chatters away in her baby language. She is a precious, sweet, girl.

She looks just like my brother. It is really crazy. I am looking forward to being able to see her grow up and what God has in store for her.

Today I have writer's block - or should I call it blogger's block? I just don't know what to write about. I do have news about the job search, but if you don't mind I want to wait until Friday night to tell you about it. So, today I give you this survey. It's not very exciting, I know, but at least it's something, right? :-) Oh, and by the way, if you have noticed that the blogs seem off date-wise it is because my blog was still under EST. I fixed that and now it is under PST. And another thing - if you would like me to blog on a certain subject, or have a question, or just want me to tell you what I love about you, be sure to leave me a comment.

1. Where were you an hour ago?
My parents' house.

2. Who will be your next kiss?
My niece tomorrow morning!

3. What kind of deodorant do you use?
Secret.

4. Are you wearing socks right now?
Nope.

5. When was the last time you went out of the state?
May 23.

6. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days?
No...but watched rented movies.

7.What was the last thing you had to drink?
Starbucks.

8. What are you wearing right now?
Nothing. Just kidding. Capris and a shirt.

9. What was your last purchase?
Stuff from Walgreens.

10. Last food you ate?
Lunch at Los Pepe's with Amy. I am sooo hungry but it is kinda too late to eat dinner now.

11. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
Alisa

12. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
No.

13. Do you have a pet?
No. But my parents have one that I consider my own.

14. What’s the last sporting event you watched?
My girls at cheer practice today. Yes, cheerleading IS a sport! They work very hard.

15. Where did you go today?
Los Pepes with Amy, Walgreens, Parents house, Starbucks to meet Alisa, cheer practice, my house.

16. If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
East Coast...or Ireland.

17. What is the last thing you purchased online?
I am going to buy a dresser online tonight form Ikea. Does that count?

18. One thing you hate about yourself?
Just one? Too many to list.

19.Favorite Song?
IDK.

20. Are you missing anyone?
DEFINITELY

21. Last play you saw?
Fiddler on the Rood

22. What are your plans for the day?
Well it is 11:10 PM so pretty much sleep is all I have left on the list.

23. Ever go to camp?
LOL Um, hello, I have definitely had my fill of camp.

24. What is your biggest fear?
That I won't ever have the chance to be a wife and mom.

25. Do you have any tattoos or piercing?
Yes.

26. Last person who made you cry?
Can I plead the fifth on this one?

27. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne?
No not at the moment.

28. Where are your best friends located?
All over...:-(

29. Do you have a tan?
No. Freckles? Yes.

30. How soon do you want to have kids?
That's up to God.

31. Have you ever drank soda from a straw?
Yup.

32. Ever mixed all the sodas from the machine and drank it?
Ha ha, for sure.

33. Do you have allergies?
No.

34. Do you like hot sauce?
Ick.

35. Next time you’ll take a shower?
When I wake up.

36. Last shot you received?
Tetanus I'm assuming...

37. What is your mood?
OK

38. Are you someone’s best friend?
I hope so. =]

39. What did you do for valentine’s day?
I was snowed in that day.

40. What are you doing right now?
This survey! =]

I was watching America's Got Talent tonight and thought that I would share with you two clips of Britain's Got Talent. I cried at both of these. I'm such a girl.

Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En0A8KGMgq8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA&mode=related&search=

What a great day!

Here are some pics from my graduation day in May.

My hooding ceremony.

From reefs to high heels at the last minute. Can't take Cali out of the girl!

You can get a good view of me walking in and my hood here.

Here are me and my folks. We went to Niagara Falls the week before for my grad present. It was awesome and I really loved Ontario.

Yay for being done!

Kristin came down for the big day. So nice of her!

In passing my brother mentioned this show to me called Man vs. Wild. I had never heard of it before and didn't really think much of it. Well one day I was watching TV and while flipping through the channels I noticed that it was on. From that episode on I have been hooked. Take it from me - you need to be watching this show!

This guy, Bear Grylls, is AMAZING. Basically the show revolves around "dumping" him in the middle of nowhere and allowing him to find his way out. It usually takes him several days and on his journey he teaches the viewer how to survive should they ever find themselves in the same situation. You see him create shelter, make fire, make his way through many obstacles, and find food. If nothing else I watch this show to see what kind of disgusting food he will eat. He eats live snakes (kills them instantly with his first bite), bugs, live fish (although sometimes he does cook the meat), etc. Yesterday he ate a turtle. Of course I don't like seeing cute little bunnies beingkilled or anything like that, but he teaches that in order to get out alive one has to eat to get energy - and he kills them as humanely as possible.

The show flies by and I love it. It is really a show more for guys but I am telling you that I am a huge fan. I wish I had Tivo so I wouldn't miss out on any episodes.

But I haven't told you the best part yet. He is a Christian!! Yesterday I was watching and he started talking about God. I thought, "What? A guy who does a "nature" type show and isn't an evolutionist?" So of course I did my research and, sure enough, he loves the Lord. On his top ten reads he has "What's so amazing about grace?" and "Messy Spirituality." Of course I admire him even more now!

Yeah, he and his show are pretty awesome. It is on the Discovery Channel. Watch it and you will see why the show is so darn addicting.

A lot of people have been asking about the job hunt. Here it is in a nutshell:

Life has been challenging since I moved back to CA. In a way I feel like I am right back to where I was four years ago. Searching for a job and not understanding why it is so hard to find one. I am trying to remind myself that it all worked out for the best last time because the job I was hired for eventually turned into moving to the East Coast, which was a wonderful experience for me. Sometimes I just don’t understand what God is up to. (But who says it is my right to understand?)

Anyway…while I was still living in New Jersey I heard about the possibility of a job with Bethany Adoption agency. I was super excited and when I came out for Easter I met with the director and turned in my app. I was counting on that job even though I hadn’t signed on the dotted line. Long story short the position never became open as expected because the person who was supposed to leave changed her mind. I got that phone call two days before I moved home. I was devastated.

So, I counted on the 20 or so resumes that I sent out to churches, counseling centers, etc. to bring me some offers. Nothing. They either did not have the funds to hire on new counselors or they wanted someone who was licensed. I am not licensed (yet). That took me back to square one.

I interviewed with the Biblical Counseling and Educational Center, which is connected to the Evangelical Free Church in Visalia. They loved me and I loved them. They offered me the opportunity to be the director of a counseling center here in Kingsburg. Then they told me I would have to raise my salary. I am done raising my own salary. I have done it for five years. I am ready to not have to worry about if I will be paid this month or next month. I declined that offer, but would love to help as a volunteer.

Finally a job opportunity came along that I was sooooo excited about. It was for Hanford School District as a character coach. Basically I would be a behavioral specialist. I could combine counseling with my experience with kids – plus work for a school system. How cool is that? There were 60 people who applied for the job. I made it to the final three. I was the last of the three to be interviewed and when the second interviewee walked out as I was walking in, both she and the interviewer were laughing and said, “See you later.” My heart sank. I knew at that time the decision had already been made. Needless to say later that afternoon I got the phone call that I didn’t get the job. I was crushed. That was the first job “rejection” that I cried over for quite a while.

Last week I interviewed for a job as the children’s ministries coordinator at my church. They are doing first interviews until August 1 and then will do a round of second interviews after that. They are hoping to hire someone by the beginning of the school year. I do think that I would enjoy this job and be good at it. Plus it would allow me to go to MBBS and become licensed in counseling. I am even hoping to counsel on the side in the meantime for the church. We shall see what happens with this one. Too bad I have to wait like four more weeks…

On Tuesday I have an interview with Samaritan Women for the position of executive director. I know a little but about this ministry and think it would be a good fit. My only concern is if they will want me to raise my own salary or not…. I will let you know how it goes.

I do have a fun side job though. For those of you who don’t know, I am the new cheer coach at KHS. We have already begun and it has been quite the experience. I don’t think I really knew what I was getting myself in to. The kids have been great but some of the moms are PSYCHO. I have learned to screen my calls because it might be crazy cheer moms. I am already beginning to think that (unfortunately) this will be my one and only year as coach.

Hopefully this brought you up to date on my career search!! It’s not the exciting post I know, but many of you have been asking and I thought that this would be a good way of spreading the word. Be sure to check back tomorrow for another post as I promise to keep my promise of blogging every day for one month!

Hello, remember me? It’s been a looooooong time, hasn’t it? Sorry about that!

To make up for this and to get myself back in the habit of blogging again I am going to blog every day for one month. (Thanks to a great idea from Hannah.) This way I can catch you up on my life without having to write an enormous blog, and I can get myself back into the swing of things. Sound good?

So be sure to check back tomorrow…and the day after that…and the day after that…

I have so much to update you on...but won't have the time until my thesis is done. In the meantime though - here is a pic of my new WC car!

My parents found out that they got the "second" house. I will be living in this house and renting it from them. It is on Winter Street. Escrow will close just before I move at the end of May. The Lord has provided. I was able to get of my year long lease here in my apartment, and I now have a place to live when I return back to CA. Now only two more obstacles - selling my car here, and finding a job in the Valley. There is a promising lead with Bethany Adoption Agency which I would love - so maybe God has that in the works too. I'll keep you up to date! In any case...here is my new WC home!

Happy first day of Spring! It doesn’t look like it around here – with snow on the ground and temps in the 40’s…but just the thought of today being the first day of Spring makes me feel warm inside – even if it isn’t warm outside.

Here on the EC there is a place called Rita’s. It is a place where one could buy water ice, gelati, etc. (I know, the name “water ice” is a bit redundant, but that’s what its name is. It is basically shaved ice, but it is much yummier then that.) Anyway, they care only open during Spring and Summer, and on the first day of Spring they give out free regular water ices. I was pretty darn excited about that. Chad, Katie (the kids I baby-sit) and I went to get ours, and the line was ginormous when we showed up. When we hopped out of the car I was greeted by several YL kids running up to me and yelling, “Ashley’s here!” It was a good moment for me.

You see, when I came out here to interview my “tour guide” stopped at Rita’s. It was my first water ice (or wuder ice as they pronounce it here) and I remember wondering what the heck all the fuss was about – I mean, we don’t have stuff like that on the WC. Of course that was my first time in Hunterdon County so I knew absolutely nobody. Today, three years later, kids who I have come to know and love greeted me at Rita’s.

While there are many annoying things about New Jersey, there are many wonderful things as well. This is my home. I will be sad to leave it in exactly nine weeks from today.

I have been blessed to have this EC experience.

Snow Day Surveys

1. Favorite country song?
Right now? What hurts the most by Rascal Flatts.

2. Last thing you bought?
Dinner

3. Last time you got flowers?
Valentine’s Day – and they were my fave flowers too!

4. Do you share a toothbrush with your significant other?
no

5. One of your stuffed animals' names as a kid?
Anderson

6. Did you ever own at one time a Barenaked Ladies CD?
I don’t think so.

7. Favorite day of the week?
Friday or Saturday

8. Favorite Sundae topping?
Hot fudge

9. Did you take Piano lessons?
Yes – for 10 years

10. T.V. show you secretly enjoy?
The Hills

11. Date someone older or younger?
Either

12. One place you could travel to right now?
Ireland

13. Do you use umbrellas?
Rarely

14. Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem?
No. Only the first two…lol

15. Best job you ever had?
I loved being on work crew in high school. Does that count?

16. What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep every night?
Usually watch Dave Letterman

17. Ever been in a car accident?
Yes, several

18. How would you like to die?
In my sleep

19. When do you think you will get drunk next?
never

20. Were you ever in a school talent show?
yes

21. Allergic to?
nothing that I know of

22. Favorite fruit?
strawberries

24. Do you soap first or shampoo?
Shampoo

26. Do you scream on roller coasters?
Sometimes

27. Who was your first prom date?
Chris Johnson

28. Who was your first roommate?
Courtney

30. What was your 1st job?
For money? I guess that would be babysitting.

31. What was your first car?
Red Toyota Tercel

33. Who was your first grade teacher?
Mrs Pitts

35. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?
Oh that depends! I have many good friends I can call…

36. What's your favorite store?
Target

37. What's the name of the last restaurant you ate at?
McDonalds

38. What did you do yesterday?

Work, which included a WyldLife club

39.What book are you reading right now?
The Safest Place on Earth by Larry Crabb

40. Why did you fill out this survey?
Stuck in my house due to snow and I’m bored!!!

And yet another survey…

1. 4th grade teacher's name: Mrs. ?? Don’t remember but I can picture her. She wore a wig, bless her heart and everyone made fun of her. She went to my church.

2. Last words you said: “Sure. OK, bye.”

3. Last song you listened to: What hurts the most by Rascal Flatts.

4. Last person you hugged: Linda

5. Last thing you laughed at: Kids are WL club last night

6. Last time you said I love you and meant it: I don’t know…probably in some phone conversation to someone

7. Last time you cried: today while watching QEFTSG. A soldier was leaving his family for Iraq.

8. Do you have a car: Yes. But I am selling it when I move back to CA.

9. What color socks are you wearing: None – I’m wearing slippers.

10.What is under your bed: luggage mostly

11. What time did you wake up: It was a snow day so I got to sleep in!

12. What's you least favorite ice cream: pistachio

13. Current hair: down

14. Are you thinking about someone right now? No

15. Current annoyance: my procrastination habits

16. Current desktop picture? Me, Kristin, and Jerelyn skating on the pond in front of the Capitol in D.C.

18. If you could play any instrument what would it be? guitar

19. Favorite color(s): red

29. How tall are you? 5’ 41/2”

30. Current favorite word/saying: wow! Or soooo good!

31. Favorite Show: The Hills or anything news-y

32. Favorite season: Fall

36. What is your career going to be like: hopefully effective as a therapist!

37. How many kids do you want: as many as God chooses to bless me with

HAVE YOU EVER...

39. Said "I love you": yes

40. Ever get into a fight with your pet: yes

41. Have you ever been to New York: City and Upstate - YES (live near it)

42. Been to Arizona: Yes

43. Been to California: Hello, um, yes

44. Been to Hawaii: no

45. Been to Mexico: Yes

46. Been to Italy: no.

47: Been to Ireland: no

48. Dreamed something really crazy and then it happened the next day? I don’t think so?

52. Do you have a crush on someone? no

53. What book are you reading now? A book for school by Larry Crabb

54. Where is it? on a chair in my living room

55. What is the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning? what time is it?

56. How many rings before you answer your phone? depends

57. Future daughter's names: I have learned that that is dangerous if I think of that because what if I don’t have them? Sad, I know, but I have had to make that rule for myself.

58. Future son's names: Read above.

59. What do you sleep with: I usually fall asleep with my TV remote next to my head

60. What do you wear to sleep: pjs of course!

61. Where are you: stuck at my house

62. Where do you wish you were? somewhere sunny and warm!

63. Piercing: 6

SOME EXTRA STUFF

67. Where are you staying tonight: Home.

70. Who is the last person that you called: My landlord

71. Where do you want to get married: Can’t allow myself to think of that – but of course in a church

72. Have you ever drank: Yes

73. Hate: bad drivers

74. Are you or have you Been In Love: yes

75. Are you timely or always late: depends!

77. Do you like being around people: Yes I do!

78. Best feeling in the world: feeling wanted and loved

80. Are you a health freak? not so much!

82. Are you lonely right now: Not really

86. Do you want kids: It’s not up to me. But if it were, yes.

LAST 48 H0UR'S HAVE Y0U

87. Cried: yes

88. Bought something: yes

89. Gotten Sick: not technically, but I am still recovering from my bronchitis

90. Sang: I don’t think so??

91. Said "I love you": I don’t think so??

92. Wanted To tell someone you loved them: Everyone knows that I love them

94. Moved On: From what?

95. Talked to someone: Yup.

96. Had a serious talk: yes

97. Missed Someone: must say yes!

98. Hugged Someone: yes

99. Kissed someone: yes

100. Yelled at Someone: Not someone, I did yell at something (My lame cell phone!)!